Inside layout of RN cutters

If we take a look at the Sherborne (1763)

j7809.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the body plan, sheer lines with inboard detail, and longitudinal half-breadth for building Sherborne (1763), a single-masted 6-gun Armed Cutter at Woolwich Dockyard, based on the lines of the purchased Armed Cutter Pitt (1763). Note that the deck, waist and windlass were altered.

j7810.jpg
Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the hold with bulkhead arrangements, and deck plan for building Sherborne (1763), a single-masted 6-gun Armed Cutter at Woolwich Dockyard, based on the lines of the purchased Armed Cutter Pitt (1763).


She had also this chasing gun port, but definitly no possibility to move a gun forward. Also there was no possibility to install lids

All together she had 10 gunports, but definitely was only armed with 6 british 3-pounder guns and swifel guns


Jotika has a good kit of this Sherborne (1763) cutter in scale 1:64 - Jotika is mentioning 8-gun cutter and also the kit contents 8 guns (which was not correct)

Sherbourne_lrg.jpg Sher_Deck_lrg.jpg Sher_Channal_lrg.jpg

 
Take also a look at the look inside photos of the Alert Anatomy book

and

 
Uwe, this is so informative. Thank you for taking the trouble to present these photos and commentary. Another thing I notice that interests me is the inclusion of the flue pipe from the hearth down below in the cabin. I will try and include that in my model. It is an important human element. With a wood fire below, I can imagine life on these craft as just bearable. Without, it would be cold and deadly.

I like the hybrid lids. Coincidentally, I was just reading that the USS Constitution had lids like that.

The more I learn about these little ships the more I want to find out.
 
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Maybe you can find some info also in this topic related stoves etc.

One small story:
I do not remember, which ship of the line it was, but once one british ship was burnt down to the waterline, due to the fact, that such a heating pipe from the stove (you mentioned) in the captains room was burning some drying cloths -> a fire started and the complete ship was destroyed - although when I remember the ship was on hold in the harbor area several hundred seamen drowned .......
 
Maybe you can find some info also in this topic related stoves etc.

One small story:
I do not remember, which ship of the line it was, but once one british ship was burnt down to the waterline, due to the fact, that such a heating pipe from the stove (you mentioned) in the captains room was burning some drying cloths -> a fire started and the complete ship was destroyed - although when I remember the ship was on hold in the harbor area several hundred seamen drowned .......
One other ship was the 98-gun ship HMS Boyne (1790) and not with cloths, but papers of the captain.....

Пожар_на_борту_HMS_Boyne (1).jpg

Boyne caught fire and blew up on 1 May 1795 at Spithead. She was lying at anchor while the Royal Marines of the vessel were practicing firing exercises. It is supposed that the funnel of the wardroom stove, which passed through the decks, set fire to papers in the Admiral's cabin. The fire was only discovered when flames burst through the poop, by which time it was too late to do anything. The fire spread rapidly and she was aflame from one end to the other within half an hour.

As soon as the fleet noticed the fire, other vessels sent boats to render assistance. As a result, the death toll on Boyne was only eleven men. At the same time, the signal was made for the vessels most at danger from the fire to get under way. Although the tide and wind were not favourable, all the vessels in any danger were able to escape to St Helens.

Because the guns were always left loaded, the cannons began to 'cook off', firing shots at potential rescuers making their way to the ship, resulting in the deaths of two seamen and the injury of another aboard Queen Charlotte, anchored nearby. Later in the day, the fire burnt the cables and Boyne drifted eastward till she grounded on the east end of the Spit, opposite Southsea Castle. There she blew up soon after.

 
On a related topic -- what did they cook on those stoves -- I was looking forward to reading a book on cooking as described in the Aubrey / Maturin novels of Patrick O'Brian. It is called "Lobscouse and Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels". Unfortunately, I ordered a used copy of it Nov. 3 and it has never arrived -- a rare disappointment from Abebooks.com. I have ordered so many history books from them.
 
Food in the age of sail - my bookmarked pages:




in addition one info:
- on french ships, there were usually also a bread oven, so they had fresh bread
- the british stored the complete bread in the so called bread room (often very close and as high as possible near the stern - so often under the captains cabin)

and on the bigger ships, they had also often lifestock on board, like chicken, sheeps, pigs etc.
 
I was just gifted a copy of Anatomy of the Ship ; Naval Cutter Alert 1777 by Peter Goodwin. It answers so many questions about the interior details -- even questions I hadn't thought to ask like details of ammunition handling. But sadly, it makes me realize that at this late stage there is no sensible place for me to place a flue pipe on the deck of my Lady Nelson. There is no location available far enough from on-deck obstacles that would allow room below deck for the clearances necessary around the hearth. A pity. I could have located the bitt that stands in front of the mast to just behind it. I will just have to add it to the list of details too fine to be modeled on this one.
 
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